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Donkey by John B. Flannagan / American Art
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Donkey

ca. 1930-1931 John B. Flannagan Born: Fargo, North Dakota 1895 Died: New York, New York 1942 granite 7 1/2 x 9 1/4 x 4 1/4 in. (19.0 x 23.5 x 10.7 cm.) Smithsonian American Art Museum Museum purchase 1973.165 Smithsonian American Art Museum
4th Floor, Luce Foundation Center



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Donkey



“Embrace all living forms . . . the stately dignity of the Mountain Goat, the ironic pensiveness of the apparently thoughtful Monkey, and (in his greater moments) the timeless yet rebellious patience of the Ass.” John Flannagan, The Sculpture of John Flannagan, 1941


John Flannagan often spoke of the sympathy he saw between the materials he worked with and the subjects that he carved. He tried to find in each stone the suggestion of a form hidden within it. In Donkey the stubbornness of the granite (one of the most difficult stones to carve) matches the personality of the animal. The donkey feels like such a part of the stone that he almost appears fossilized. The subtle outlines that define his body also make the sculpture seem worn and ancient.

For more information about this work visit the Luce Foundation Center.


Keywords

Animal - donkey

sculpture

stone - granite

About John B. Flannagan

Born: Fargo, North Dakota 1895 Died: New York, New York 1942

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